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February 3rd, 1974
Cabin In The Woods The President's speech has concluded and the result is damning. Mutants and those who associate with them are now in serious danger from their own government. The new MRCTF will be out in force soon to enact the President's new mandate. The team stands around the new improvised hideout in the LA subway tunnels. Just when things couldn't look any more bleak. Doorman stands up on top of a box and calls attention from the grouped Freaks and Strangers, quieting them down. Doorman calls out, “We’re going through some tough times, folks.” Oliver looks around at all the Strangers and Freaks present, lingering on each one of them. “Things aren’t going to get any easier. We’re already fighting a war on one front, whether we like it or not. These SILENCE Cultists mean business, and they’re out to get each and every one of us for their plans.” Orc looks to Doorman attentively. Pulse: This isn't a war we can win by fighting. Doorman pauses a moment, “If that isn’t bad enough, everyone’s found out about us, too. I don’t think I need to tell you why that’s a bad thing. Tensions are rising and Tricky Dick is talking about us. Always wanted to be famous, but this ain’t the way I imagined it, y’know?” He glances at the television. Glenn got some sleep during the downtime. The President is taking various questions from reporters on the TV, the volume's been turned down low so people can talk. Prodigy has his attention fixed on the TV. His stare seems kinda blank, like he's not really watching it. Ciaran offers Glenn a candy bar for breakfast. Gravedancer has remained quiet and off to the side, sitting on a chair by herself. She doesn't seem -too- put out by the news feed, thankfully. Doorman: We’ve got to look out for each other, and we’ve got to look out for everyone else too. I know that sounds strange, but hear me out. Glenn groggily shakes his head and knocks the butt of his palm on his forehead to jog him awake. He sniffs once and shakes his head. "I'm up." Glenn stands by the TV, folding his arms over his chest. "What's all this now?" Pulse watches Ollie with a curiously flat expression, as though he already knows what the man's going to say. The Strangers in the hideout start to whisper amongst themselves, a few look uneasy. Doorman: Whatever SILENCE is doing, it’s bad for us, and it’s definitely bad for everyone else. Since the cat’s out of the bag, we’ve gotta make sure that everyone knows we’re definitely not the bad guys here. Medusa is sitting by the tv, listening to the Q&A segment just in case anything happens during it. Doorman: We’re capable of a lot. So are the bad guys. The government, too. So we gotta be careful. Not gonna lie, it’s gonna be dangerous. If any of you want to just lay low and keep safe down here, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Doorman: But -I’m- sure as hell I’m not gonna let these bastards win whatever game they’re playing. I got friends that’ll help too, and I’ve got you. So I’m just asking a simple question, who's with me? Who’s sick of those bastards kicking us out of our homes, of terrorizing us? Of making us feel like we’re worth less than everybody else? Ciaran turns to Glenn. "Ol' Dicky, he's put the kaibosh on us" Glenn glances at Doorman emotionlessly for a second, "The public doesn't care if they think they're right. They'll spit on us for doing our jobs -- fer ... I mean for being who we are." Pulse: Think about what you're saying, Ollie. Really think about it. Try to picture in your mind, long-term, what will happen. Sickbag throws his fist into the air in support. "We gotta do something!" Doorman looks at the TV, where Nixon exhorts the crowd against the Strangers & Freaks. He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Everyone is talking about this fight like we started it. We didn’t throw the frag, we’re just the poor bastards that had to lie on it.” He’s gaze travels the audience, “But we’re getting back up, and we’re gonna finish this damn fight, because we’ve got rightness on our side. If you’re sick and tired of this crap, I’ve got somebody for you to meet.” Doorman teleports away. Prodigy: He's using you. All of you. You're a platform now. Medusa shakes her head. Glenn shakes his head and stands closer to the TV, "Everyone gets used in war." Prodigy: He's creating a scare out of you and wants to use that to keep himself from facing impeachment, and put the country on lock down. No matter how you show yourselves, he'll twist it, his spin doctors will twist it. Prodigy rubs his forehead, letting out a tired sigh. "This is bad." Pulse: Yes. And as much as we can't permit anything like SILENCE to remain in the world, acting against them openly, now, will only fuel Nixon's taskforce. Prodigy: ...If Sonny was here, he could do his thing. Probably give us a bit of direction along the right path. All paths right now, from what I can see, are bad. Medusa: I don't think that's what Ollie is going to do. You don't know him like we do. Pulse sits down, pinching his lower lip for a moment. "Sonny is here, in a manner of speaking." Gravedancer looks up, slightly, muttering. "He stayed at the bar, anyway." Doorman returns at the head of another tesselating portal that ripples the air around it. Behind him are two figures. Both clad in what can only be described as garish costumes. Prodigy looks at the three who spoke, nodding at Medusa. "Lets hope. What do you two mean?" Gravedancer: Sonny. He stayed at the bar, with Oscar and the other guy. Pulse seems genuinely surprised for a moment. Prodigy squints, adjusting his glasses. "...Doctor?" Doorman: Ladies and Gents, these are two of my friends, Doctor Sigma and Fightin' Joe. Prodigy: Joe Perkins? Prodigy sounds like he's from a Bendis comic right now. Joe adjusts a mask on his face and bends at the knees slightly. The trip seems to have made him a little sick. "I need a...moment." Doorman: He's not a fan of my driving. Sigma: Caleb! Lad! You're here. Good! Pulse: I see. Are you proposing we all adopt similar means of deflection? Doorman: Give Joe a minute, Pulse. He'll explain it. Medusa stands up, her hand on the top of the tv set. Her blindfold might make it obvious why she asks, "Deflection?" One of the men is none other than Dr. Bannon, who some of you met at the ranch way back when. His new garb is far from the modest outfit he wore back at his ranch. Glenn turns the TV off and stands back, watching the garishly dressed person interact with the others. Pulse leans back in his seat, nodding slightly. "An entity externalized from the Self. A fantasy realized to protect your own identity and personality from being quickly or easily gleaned by any all-seeing-eye oriented toward your activities." Pulse: A costume. Prodigy: Superheroes. Medusa nods slightly. Doorman: Y'know, like Torch in the day. Prodigy looks at Robert, then at his mentor. He did not seem all too impressed. Medusa: Right. Pulse: Or the other one. Gravedancer returns to sitting slumped in the chair. Joe stands back up. "Sorry, I don't teleport well. My name is Joe. Not like the one from the the big war. The Doc and I have been fighting the Silence Cult for a few months now and we've gotten as far as we can get on our own. We need your help now." Medusa: We're not... trained for this kind of fight. Pulse looks at everyone for a moment, each, pupils dilating and focusing rapidly. "We could be. Very quickly." Doorman: We're fresh out of better options, sweetie. Gravedancer shrinks down a bit in her seat, hands stuffed in her pockets. Prodigy: Robert is correct. Doctor Bannon and I are well trained, there are two soldiers here... Medusa puts her hand out carefully, feeling for the wall that she knows is nearby. She uses it to approach the couch. "I know." Glenn: Nothing prepares you to fight like fighting. Pulse: First and foremost: Ollie. You need to stop thinking of this as a military engagement. Glenn: It is one. Medusa: The president just declared war. Medusa: I mean, didn't he? Glenn steps forward, standing next to Doorman. "This is a war. Declared by the president of those United States upon its own citizens." Doorman: We're not fighting him. Pulse: No. It is not. Military engagements imply support 'back home'. In the eyes of the people we are two competing terrorist factions, one posthuman, the other not. Doorman holds a hand up to try to calm people down. "We're not fighting the goddamn President!" Medusa looks toward Glenn, not seeing him. She nods as he reaffirms what she got out of that speech. Glenn: You think they supported us? You think we came home to flowers and sunshine? Pulse: Glenn - I said 'imply'. Whether support is realized or shat upon depends on the engagement. Joe: We have to fight. But first I need to tell you what's at stake. What's really at stake here. Will you listen to that much before you decide what you want to do? Doorman: Listen to him, people! Trust me! Pulse: Ollie, I'm deaf. Gravedancer hides a smile at that. Doorman facepalms. Pulse is smiling. Glenn looks at Pulse coldly, "They threw rocks at our faces. They forgot to pay us. Half of my unit is unable to find work. How are we supported? How? Tell me lad, cause I don't know." Joe turns to his partner in crime. Dr. Bannon steps up speak. Medusa frowns at Pulse's voice. She can't see the smile. Medusa is blind. Glenn can't taste salt. Pulse looks at Glenn for a moment, then at Joe. Medusa waves a hand around toward the couch before sitting down on the arm of the couch. It seems like an accident but she rolls with it. Sigma: The Silence Cult is headed up by a man named Krauss. He's a war criminal and a maniac. Years ago Krauss was the first human being to come into contact with an extraterrestrial creature. A creature I believe may have had a hand in one or both of the celestial events the Earth has been witness to. Pulse: You're correct, I think. Medusa: The Event, you mean the one when these powers happened to us? Doorman looks at the others for their reactions. Doorman: That's right. Sigma: Correct, miss. I believe the creature came to our world as some sort of envoy of a greater power. One that sought to subjugate our world. Krauss bought his own freedom and roughly 50 years time to prepare. Sigma: He sold our planet to them. I believe we're close to the deadline. Silence needs to look like it has this planet in hand and I believe the Strangers are the thorn in their paw. Medusa frowns thoughtfully. Gravedancer looks like she's waaaay out of her depth. Medusa: What proof do we have of that? Pulse: What is your source? Medusa: I mean, it makes sense, but do we have like... definite facts? Glenn: Don't need facts to start a war. Sigma: My father and his friends. The Frontliners. They fought Krauss and his cult after the war. They gathered various private journals and records in the process. I've managed to put as much of them together into something coherent. Medusa grimaces at the general location of Glenn. Prodigy takes his glasses off, rubbing his eyes. Pulse: How entrenched is SILENCE? Medusa: Seems like they'd be pretty darn, if the Frontliners fought them and they're still around. Right? Sigma: We think they've worked themselves thoroughly into the world's governments. I wouldn't be surprised if a few of them are in the Nixon administration. I realize how improbable this all sounds. I nearly didn't believe it myself. But this is what we're facing. Pulse: As paranoid ramblings go, they're not bad. Medusa: Do you have... those journals that you mentioned? Prodigy: Alien life with the cabability to contact us, and even influence us. Medusa swivels her head as though looking from person to person behind her blindfold, "Maybe someone else could look at them too, see if they can find any new clues that could help us. Things you might've missed?" Prodigy is more hung up over the alien parts. Nig be contemplating life right now. Sigma: Back at my place. You're free to peruse them at a more convenient time. For now we have a more important matter that requires our immediate attention. Medusa nods, saying quietly, "I didn't mean me, but yeah. That sounds good." Joe: The cultists who attacked you, we traced a few back to a small cottage upstate. There are unusual radio transmissions emanating from below it. We think we've found one of the transmitters they're using to contact their bosses. It's how they're getting their marching orders. If we can sever it, they'll have been dealt a huge blow. Sigma: If we can get in there fast, we might even be able to access their systems before they try to wipe the whole base. We'd have concrete data on what their plans are for the first time. Joe: We need to act fast, they're probably getting ready to bug out sometime before dusk. Pulse nods, standing up. Ciaran: Are we going to need ray guns? Or silver tights? Seriously, this is ridiculous. Pulse: Ciaran, I am entirely capable of creating earthquakes. Suspend your disbelief. Evidence suggests the impossible is no longer relevant. Medusa: I'm in, if you need me. Glenn: I'm not killing without proof unless it's in self defense. Pulse: I should hope so. Glenn: And I don't believe in space people, either. Doorman: It's war, Glenn. Not with aliens. With guys in freaky masks who've already tried to kill us. Medusa: Solid. Me neither. Joe: If we can stop this before it goes any further, none of us will ever have to worry about little green men. Prodigy: They probably will not be green. Glenn paces towards Ciaran, "How many people witnessed the Event?" Ciaran watches him pace back and forth. He doesn't look like he has an answer himself. Glenn: In other words, what kind of numbers are we looking at? Prodigy: As many people that are mutants, I'd guess. Within LA alone... Prodigy: Candy Castle probably was not the full picture. Sigma: My estimate? Close to ten thousand worldwide. Sigma: A handful by comparison, but not insignificant. Medusa mouths the word 'WOW' soundlessly. Glenn: So our only option is pure stealth or guerrilla tactics. Joe: That's right. We'll have to hit them from the shadows. If we can expose what's really happened and show the world, we might even have a chance to get these laws repealed. Medusa shrugs. Joe: But we have to move soon. The cultists will have that place cleaned out in no time. Doorman looks a bit skeptical at Joe's last remark, but keeps his mouth shut. The other strangers & freaks not interested in fighting a war have already dissipated, leaving the few willing to stand up. Gravedancer remains seated. Glenn looks at Ciaran and shakes his head, "Knew couldn't escape this shite, brother." Ciaran: At least we're in together, could be worse. Pulse: You keep pressing the urgency of the matter. Let's go. Glenn: We need order. Medusa stands up, turning her head from side to side. Gravedancer looks extremely uncomfortable. "This...isn't really my fight. Aliens? International terrorism? I'm out of my depth, here." Glenn: Need a leader. Need a second. Need roles and titles. Need to have structure, function and responsibility, or we'll die. Pulse: If you want a truly invisible 'hit', I can bring their bunker down on them. It'd be done. Sigma shakes his head. "We'd lose the evidence we need in the process. We need to know what they're planning." Pulse continues, completely stonefaced: "I could assure you it would likely survive." Doorman looks at Gravedancer. "You don't have to fight if you don't want to. Stay here, you'll be safe." Joe: I'll be your General, gather intel and keep you out of the shit, in the field I think I trust either you or Ollie to call the shots. Doorman looks at Glenn expectantly. He seems pretty comfortable with command. Dr. Bannon nudges Prodigy suggestively. "Don't let the buzzcuts be in charge." Medusa: I guess I'm artillery? Gravedancer looks back at Doorman. She nudges the shotgun next to her with a foot. Pulse looks at Doorman, Glenn, and Joe. "I repeat: Approach this like you do warfare and you are signing our death warrant." Glenn: Do I look dead to you, kid? Pulse: Inside. Glenn steps closer to Pulse, staring him down, "Fuck you, kid." Doorman puts a hand out in front of Glenn, trying to stop him. "Calm down, he's just a kid." He looks at Pulse, frowning hard. "What are you thinking? If you've got an idea, spit it out." Medusa hisses as she exhales, "Damnit guys, this is serious. Stop fighting." Pulse shrugs at Glenn. "What are you going to do, beat the deaf kid up? You're proving my point." Joe steps in between them. "Save it for the ones who deserve it, fellas. We need to get moving." Prodigy moves on over to Sigma, hands in his pockets. "Welcome to the club." Glenn stabs a finger at Pulse's chest, "There's a war going on, kid. How old are you? Why the fuck aren't you out there right now?" Medusa asks blankly, "Deaf?" Glenn: Coward shit for brains. Can you hear that? Can you fucking hear THAT? Coward. Pulse: Because I'm an atomic bomb, Glenn. Do you not realize what everyone in this room is capable of, even individually? Gravedancer shrinks back away from the infighting. She starts talking to herself. "No. No, we're not going. I don't care what you say." Medusa: Whoa. Not cool, man. Not cool! Glenn: Go piss your hairless dick in another person's face. That's the whole point of war. People fucking die. Doorman: HEY! Medusa: Stop it! Doorman: Soldier, calm yourself down. Let him be, we've got a mission to do and this isn't helping. Gravedancer starts rocking back and forth, dragging her knees up to her chest. Glenn mouths, "Coward." to Pulse and turns back to the others. Ciaran pulls Glenn back. "Come on, he ain't worth it. Get yourself together. We've got work to do." Pulse slides his hands in his pockets, still staring up at Glenn. "I see. Well, Ollie, I was going to suggest I just handle this bunker situation." Glenn thinks about cars. Sigma: We're not destroying the bunker. We need to access what's down there. We have to do this the right way, not the easy one. Prodigy goes on over to Gravedancer, crouching. "Hey, Jessica, right? You okay?" Gravedancer snaps her head over to stare at him. "Fine. I'm fine. Finefinefine. Nothing wrong. Nope. Fine." She's babblin'. Pulse I didn't say anything about destroying the bunker. I deal in vibrations, doctor. I've decided microwaving SILENCE would be too cruel." Medusa: Microwaving? What--- Medusa: Like a microwave oven? Doorman massages his temples. "Whatever the hell you're thinking of doing, we're not doing it. We're going in there, we're retrieving the intel, we're getting out. We don't know what earthquakes or 'microwaves' could do to what we want so we're not chancing it." Prodigy: You're not fine. Just tell me, what's wrong? Doorman: You don't have all the answers. We all gotta learn that eventually. If you don't feel comfortable coming on this mission, then stay behind, we'll figure something out. Gravedancer mutters, her eyes all wide n stuff. "You won't believe it. No one does. She won't shut up." Prodigy: You've already told me. Pulse: Sorry, Ollie, I'm just testing your reaction to certain prospects. Relax. You have to trust that I'm not going to do anything foolish. Ciaran: You were just winding everyone up? Doorman rolls his eyes. "Don't do that again." Pulse: Your brother's still in the jungle, Ciaran. He needs help and I just don't have the time to help him right now, since he'll never trust me the way he trusts you. Ciaran: Mate, no offense. But I can look after him. He's good. Pulse: And Ollie, honest reactions require honest stimuli. If I'd just asked you, there's the slightest chance you'd lie to me. Prodigy: Robert's right. Prodigy goes back to Jess. Glenn: You don't know what you're talking about, kid. Doorman: We're on the clock, folks. Gravedancer rocks back and forth a bit more, chewing on her lower lip. "She wants to go. She wants -me- to go." Doorman: Put it on the backburner. Pulse: Yes, we need to go now. Pulse points at Glenn. "Bring your gun." Prodigy: Why? Glenn: So take a cue from your eardrums and stop now. Joe: Right. If you're done playing, Karnac the Great. We need to move. Ollie, you remember the place I told you about? Can you get us there? Pulse: Wow, Glenn. Nice one. Doorman: I can do that, Joe. Medusa looks baffled. Gravedancer basically hisses out the last bit. "Justice." She grabs the shotgun, cradling it to her chest as she stands up. "Fine. Fine, we'll go." Prodigy nods, patting Jessica on the shoulder. "We've got your back, don't worry." Doorman walks over to Medusa after conversing briefly with Joe. "Look, I'm not sure how this is going to go. I'm not so sure it's a good idea for you to come. Stay with Carrie, okay?" Medusa frowns a bit, thinking it over. "I can take my blindfold off, there. I won't get in the way." Sickbag interjects. "We all got a stake in this front the sounds of it Ollie. Let the kid do her part too." Doorman doesn't look at all convinced. "I..." Pulse: Listen, Ollie. Pulse: We need Jess. There is no one better equipped to locate what we need. Pulse: She can find it, and bloodlessly. Medusa: If Robert gets to come along, so do I. He's a kid too. I can hear it in his voice. Medusa: Jess too. Ciaran finishes cleaning his and Glenn's rifles. "We're all set. Rock and roll, brother." Pulse looks at Medusa for a moment, thoughtfully. "What do your eyes do?" Medusa: Were you and that Glenn guy any less kids when they drafted you, really? This is about all of our futures. Medusa: Me? Pulse: Yes. Doorman runs a hand through his hair again. "Alright. Fine. But stick behind me and follow orders, no questions. Okay? I'm not letting anything happen to you, alright?" Medusa turns her head slightly toward Robert, "It's...bad." Medusa nods to Ollie, "I can watch our backs." Glenn nods at Ciaran, taking the gun. "Ready, LT." He nods at Doorman. Gravedancer looks a bit surprised at Pulse. "Right. I'll...do my best." Doorman: Alright. Everybody get over here, I'll open one up for us in a minute. Medusa holds on to Ollie's arm when he starts moving away to where he intends to open the portal. Joe: Like I said, it's a cabin out in the boonies upstate. We think there's some way underground hidden inside. There should be a computer system somewhere in the base. The Doc here has built a small box to steal the data from their computer when you get to it. Dr. Bannon hands the box to Caleb. "Don't mind the chatter. It makes a bit of noise." Pulse: The computer's probably not the whole bunker, by the way. They've managed to miniaturize their devices. Doorman: We know, we've seen it before. Prodigy inspects the box, squinting. "Chatter?" Doorman looks at the box as he says it. Doesn't look like he likes the box. Pulse: Yes, I'm more voicing this for those who haven't studied their communicators or goggles directly. Pulse: It could be as small as a television, that's all I mean. Prodigy: Fascinating. A small blue glowing lens on the box blinks to life as Caleb takes it. It seems to move inside the lens, searching the room. "Mission." Doorman keeps Medusa with him. He quietly says to her. "I'm gonna get you those goggles, alright? Promise." He concentrates for a moment before a tesselating disturbance appears in the air before him. Portals. Fux with it. Prodigy: Ah. Chatter. An artificial intelligence. I assume it's still in its early stages of learning. Medusa nods, chewing on her lip. The box repeats. "Learning." Doorman: Glenn, Ciaran, in first. Check for hostiles. Doorman: We should be far enough away. But just in-case. Prodigy tucks the box under his arm, waiting for his turn to go through the Door. Medusa puts her hand up and tugs down her blindfold. Her eyes are squeezed shut and she's careful to point her head toward the ground. Glenn nods at Ciaran and immediately begins casing the perimeter in opposite directions. Doorman: Caleb, you and Robert next. Stay low. Doorman: Jess, take Angie here and make sure she stays safe, stick close to me, alright? Gravedancer nods, stuffing her shotgun through her hoodie pouch. It’s early morning and very chilly as California goes. In the hills not too far from Los Angeles, the team materializes not far from their destination: A rather humble looking cottage. It’s a bit underwhelming as far as major SILENCE facilities go. A big wooden cabin with smoke tenderly rising from the chimney. It’s almost idyllic. The man quietly rocking in a heavy coat out front definitely lends himself to that image. He’d look even more normal if not for the automatic weapon resting at his side. Glenn and Ciaran spread to either side of the cabin, checking in the windows and searching the perimeter to get a clue of their numbers up here. Doorman puts Medusa's hand on Gravedancer then heads into the portal, which stays open with them and winks shut after their entry. Ciaran signals back to the group after peering into a window. He holds up three fingers. Medusa heads in with Gravedancer, her hand clasping onto the other girl's shoulder carefully. Doorman appears, rifle ready. The portal business had strained him. He confirms Ciaran's gesture and relays it to Glenn if he didn't catch it. Glenn nods back at Doorman, signalling something by the door. The man on the porch stamps out his cigarette on the ground and pulls down his mask. Doorman makes hand gestures at both Glenn and Ciaran. What the hell does that even mean? Ciaran nods to Glenn and moves around the other side of the house to flank it. Glenn heads over by a tree near the side of the building, drops to a kneel, aims and shoots. Gravedancer pats Medusa's hand somewhat reassuringly, as she hunkers down. All these guys doing military manuevers what even is Doorman whispers quietly to Prodigy and mouths at Pulse afterward. "we're going inside. Be ready. Shoot first." Pulse makes some likely-familiar gestures at Doorman, to the tune of 'got it'. Dude I speak sign language, picking up new signs is my deal. Pulse gets all up behind Glenn. Doorman: holds onto Pulse to prevent him from leaving him. Noooo. Glenn fires a single shot and hits the man square between the eyes. He goes down to his knees and then forward onto his face. Doorman immediately teleports... along with Pulse and Prodigy? Pulse squints at Ollie for a moment, then nods. Medusa hunkers down next to Gravedancer as she does. She smiles a bit at the hand patting. Glenn nods to Doorman once. It's done. Doorman immediately opens fire on the man in the kitchen. Prodigy looks like he's about to puke. Attack 8 -> [AUTOMATIC MISS] Gravedancer grabs her head with her other hand. In that moment, she misses the whole teleport shindig. Pulse was born ready apparently Pulse and Doorman fire at their targets, hitting them perfectly. One of them goes down by the fireplace, the other in the kitchen. Prodigy's shot goes wild and blows out a window. From outside Ciaran calls out. Ciaran: FUCK Medusa holds her breath for a moment before whispering urgently to Ghostdancer, "Are they okay? What's going on?" Gravedancer ducks down even more as the window blows the fuck out. "I...I think your friend took them inside!" Medusa asks hopefully, "Ollie?" Gravedancer looks around. "Yeah...with uhm, Caleb and Pulse." She stands up, looking at Glenn like, dafuq we doin hurr The one cultist left standing tries to head for the doorway, letting out a spray of machine gun fire to deter anyone from following. "We have intruders topside. Repeat, intruders topside." Doorman calls out because Glenn can't see him. "GLENN-SHOOT!" Glenn squares his jaw and aims, scanning robotically before firing. The bullet catches the cultist in the stomach, he falls forward clutching at his wound. Doorman scans the room and calls out, "Clear?" Glenn: Clear, LT. Pulse: Almost clean. Pity. Pulse takes a moment to focus himself. Ciaran goes back for Medusa and Grave. "All clear, boss. You ladies head on in. I'll keep watch." Prodigy recovers. Gravedancer nods, taking Medusa's hand and heading towards the cabin. "This way. Watch your step." Doorman heads over to one of the bodies and quickly takes his goggles off before Medusa gets inside. He looks around, inspecting the interior. The interior of the cabin is obnoxiously humble. Given the paramilitary men there absolutely must be something hidden under the all too average facade. The kitchen looks like it hasn’t seen use in months, and there’s hardly any furniture in the admittedly spacious interior. The floor sits uncovered with dust gathering in the corners. It doesn’t really look like people live here, aside from the small fire in the fireplace. There's got to be more than meets the eye here. Pulse crouches, running his hand across the floor... opening his mind. Medusa holds one hand low to the ground and out in front of her as she follows with her hand clasped in the other girl's hand. Pulse: There's an elevator, feels like directly below me. Must be some way to call it. Doorman: Figure it out. Glenn! Get in here, Ciaran, keep watch. Doorman approaches Medusa somewhat nervously, a pair of SILENCE goggles held in a hand behind him. Okay, yeah, he took them from a dead guy. "Angie, hey. Take these. Try them on." Medusa reaches her hand out, feeling around until she gets ahold of the goggles. She pulls them on. Gravedancer awkwardly shuffles out of the way of the two. Pulse looks at Ollie like he may as well have just said 'wizard, do magic', then begins moving, passing his hand along the floor still. "Caleb, can you ballpark a decibel level for an elevator control box's hum?" Ciaran starts to sing quietly outside. "I drew forth my pistols and I rattled my saber, sayin' stand and deliver or the devil he may take yer!" Medusa carefully opens her eyes while looking at the floor, goggles on. Medusa looks at everyone and then at Caleb. She stares at Caleb for a while. Glenn surveys the exterior once more before heading inside. Doorman grins widely at Medusa, experiencing a brief moment of joy. "Told ya' I'd get 'em, didn't I?" Prodigy will one day get good rolls. Prodigy stares back at Medusa. "...Hello." Medusa: You're not... glowing? Pulse: He's not like us. Prodigy: Wow, racist. Prodigy smirks over at Robert. S'all good. Medusa scoffs. DaiCom: Racist. Pulse smirks his own smirking smirk. "I was going to say your intellect was practically a mutation." The little box parrots the word over and over. "Racist. Racist." Doorman: I promised. Anyway, that'll help. Doc, can you shut that thing up? Medusa looks at the others in turn again. Prodigy: As for the guess... Gravedancer waves a bit. She has a 12-gauge or whatever sticking out of her hoodie. Glenn: LT, got somethin here. Pulse smiles at Medusa, still feeling the floor. Doorman: What's it? Medusa gives Gravedancer's hand a squeeze before letting it go. She doesn't need a guide anymore apparently. Prodigy rubs his chin. "I want to say eighty. Think that's safe?" Glenn nods at Doorman, then back at the fireplace. "Some kind of button. Rigged." Medusa heads over and looks out for Ciaran, asking, "Ciaran? I think you can come in." Gravedancer keeps turning her head to look at the dead people. Ciaran: And I took all of his money and I gave it aaaaall to Molly. Nah, I'm having a grand ol' time but if ya miss me that much missy. Ciaran smashes in a window and crawls through. Pulse gets off the area on which he's standing, as Glenn mentions the fireplace. Doorman nods at Glenn. "Hit it. Everybody stay ready." Doorman raises his rifle at the elevator. Glenn: Roger that. Stand back! Gravedancer pulls out her shotgun and does her best to look intimidating. Glenn waits until the others back off and then punches the button. Medusa holds a hand on one side of her googles, looking intently at the floor in that spot. The wooden panels of the floor swing downward into the elevator shaft. A mechanical hum from deep below looms slowly . Soon enough an industrial platform with yellow and black caution lines comes to the surface. Big enough to carry freight down below to whatever awaits them. Doorman: Alright, we're riding down. Stay ready people, this doesn't get any easier. Pulse: Were they able to radio down? We should expect company when it arrives, if so. Doorman: There's only one way down. Just be ready. Ciaran: Should I stay up here? Make sure they don't close the door behind ya? Gravedancer looks at the group. "Do you want me to go ahead?" Medusa faces outward, standing next to Ollie. She's in an action pose. Medusa is taking this very seriously. Pulse: How quickly can you return to yourself? Pulse: If you can peek on ahead and come back to us quickly, we'd know what to expect. Gravedancer nods, laying her shotgun down on the floor. "I can get back fairly quickly. Just...give me a minute." She closes her eyes, and starts to regulate breathing. Medusa gives a small little nervous laugh, and then swallows her amusement with an apology, "Sorry. Excited." Doorman glances at her, raising a brow. He smiles a bit. This shit is serious, but. "It's alright. Just stick close." Medusa nods curtly. Pulse tugs Jess onto the elevator, and picks up her gun. "Should you sit down?" Gravedancer falls forward onto her face, landing on the floor. Probably should have caught her. Medusa gapes. Medusa: Is she okay? Gravedancer 's voice echoes around the room. "Ow. That'll leave a mark. Okay, I'll be back in a flash." And then, the room is pretty empty of Jess. her body looks like it's DEAD. Glenn: Medic! Pulse maybe did catch her, when he tugged her? Doorman heads over to check if she's dead. Doorman: What in the... Prodigy: ...You guys have not noticed? Pulse: She sends herself out of her body. Doorman: -- Oh. Medusa arranges Gravedancer a bit, then pats her on the head. "She'll be... okay." Prodigy: When she uses her powers, she dies. Doorman scratches his head. "Well, hell." She's not breathing. That's not right. But she seemed calm about it. Glenn shakes his head once, still keeping vigilant. "Thought she was just fainting from the shock of it all." Medusa: Does she have to get back to her body within a certain period of time? Medusa: Wouldn't she go braindead if it was too long? Prodigy: Not sure. I'm sure she knows what she's doing, though. Pulse: Counterpoint: I learn new things about my abilities often. Pulse: I might be going braindead as we speak; I wouldn't know unless I died. Prodigy: Counterpoint to counterpoint: She was out of it for a while when we first found our newer friends. Past that, we can start assuming the worst. Pulse nods. "We can assume she's safe for... about ten minutes, if I recall. Give or take. Beyond that, who knows?" Ciaran looks at Glenn like: Nerdsamirite. Medusa stares between Pulse and Prodigy. Prodigy nods. "Exactly." Medusa: If you two had a lovechild, it would be a brain with nerd glasses on. Gravedancer is sorta just lying there for a while. Then, very suddenly, she sits up, gasping for air. Her hoodie hood also falls off. "Wooaoahhh." Medusa leaps backward. Pulse holds the shotgun out to Gravedancer, stock-first. He's essentially pointing it at himself, gun guys. Prodigy looks as if he's about to say something about the 'lovechild' comment but then suddenly, Jessica. "What did you see?" Medusa and sits down. "Jeez!" Glenn smirks a bit before catching himself. Emotions. DELETE. Gravedancer grabs the gun, probably the totally wrong way. "It's...a big complex. Concrete floor, steel walls. There's a lot of stuff down there. One of the places had some sort of...field around it. I couldn't get through." Prodigy: Bodycount? Gravedancer: Twelve. Prodigy: Manageable. Medusa: Are they...do they know we're coming? Gravedancer nods. "Alarms are going off all over." Medusa gulps, "Okay." Pulse: Oh, that's what that is. Ciaran parks himself by the button on the fireplace. "Whenever you're ready." Prodigy: Eighty. Nailed it. Medusa: You can he--feel that all the way up here? Pulse looks at everyone, then shrugs. "We should go." Doorman: Hit it. Pulse: And Caleb, I was asking about the hum from the wiring... not the mechanism or anything. Prodigy shrugs. He seems a bit more chill these days. Ciaran waits for everyone to stand on the elevator platform and then slams his fist down triumphantly on the button. "Godspeed, ladies and gents. I'll keep this button safe." Doorman prepares himself for what comes next. "Everybody be ready." Doorman rifle ready. Blap blap. Glenn: Always, LT. Ciaran gives a mock solute. The elevator descends slowly into the yawning earth, the metal grinding in a torturously tense rhythm. The further down you descend the more noticeable the klaxxon sound of alarms blaring becomes. The team is going to need to hit the ground fighting it seems. Here goes nothing... Glenn thinks about cars. Pulse thinks about thinking. Gravedancer thinks about dead people Prodigy thinks about particles. TO BE CONTINUED. Category:Session Logs